They didn't release me until the following day, deciding they wanted to run a blood test while I was there first. When we got home, dad straight away called the nearby clinic to schedule my follow-ups as well. And when Archie came back from his friend's place, he was equal parts apprehensive of me and wanting to squeeze me to death with his hugs of relief.

In some ways I felt warm, surrounded by the love and attention of my family. Though it was hard to ignore the dull ache that the final admission of the end of us left in my heart.

A few days passed before things got hectic again.

Dad had taken some days off work—even though the doctor said it wasn't necessary—to keep an eye on me. And in those days, we ran some errands. The first was driving to uni to get my textbooks. After, we visited the stationery store to gather all my necessary study materials. Then dad decided to cap it all with a purchase of a new, larger desk for me.

We spent the last day of his brief time off building it, when, midway, we were interrupted by the shrill sound of his phone.

"Just a sec, Em," he said, putting the screwdriver down. "Could be work." He exited the room and into the kitchen where he last left his phone. Though the conversation that ensued had every fibre of my being on high alert. "Hello? ... How did you get my... Oh, your mum... Look, she told me you two were... I think you need to respect her..." He sighed. "Give me a second."

Next I knew, dad's footsteps were sounding closer, stopping only when his head appeared in the doorway. Phone pressed to his chest, he started with, "I've muted it... It's Frazer. He wants to talk to you."

I shook my head, hating how he still made my heart race in anticipation. Hating that a part of me was a little excited that he finally reached out... That I hadn't become that insignificant to him that he wouldn't respond to our breakup.

"He... sounds distraught."

"I was distraught when he didn't answer me."

"I don't think he... expected you'd come to this decision."

"Then perhaps he should have considered the consequences of his actions."

Dad hesitated, staring at me like he was waiting for my resolve to crumble. Like he just assumed I would always falter at the drop of Frazer's name.

But I didn't want to ever make that mistake again.

Eventually he caved and said, "Very well." After pressing at his screen, he brought the phone back to his ear. "She doesn't want to talk to you... I told her you're desperate... She said it's over and she doesn't want to talk about... I'm going to hang up now." And then dad did.

We didn't talk about it at first.

The both of us tried to resume the building of my desk, though the atmosphere had darkened with the cloud of the past now hanging over it.

Then his phone shrilled again.

Dad glanced at the screen before rejecting the call.

Though only moments later, it started to ring again.

He heaved a sigh, rejected the call once more, then put his phone on silent.

"He's probably going to keep calling me," he said eventually as we tightened final bolts.

"Block him."

"What if it's important?"

"He doesn't concern us anymore... Besides, if his mum gave the number to him, his mum can call about anything important. Though I don't see what could tie us anymore. It's not like I could have gotten him pregnant."

"Very well."

Another few days passed and dad didn't mention if Frazer called again, or if he blocked him.

Dad went back to work, Archie resumed school, and I was relishing in my last few days of freedom before university started... Well, in reality, I was getting ahead of my readings.

That was, until, a knock sounded on the door.

Hesitant as I walked up to it, I tried to ignore the knotting in my stomach after the silence of him.

It's probably just the postie.

My hand shook as I reached for the handle.

He'd never abandon his tour to come see you.

Then, reluctantly, I opened the door.

My heart dropped slightly at the sight of her, but another part of me felt relief to see her again.

"Frazer demanded I come speak to you for him," she started with, seeming slightly tired at the prospect.

Though I responded with, "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"I don't work anymore... It's too hard being Frazer's mum in front of his fans."

"I see."

When I didn't say anything further, she pressed, "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Will you... invite me in?"

"I... I'm sorry Mrs Young... but I have nothing to say."

"The boy is beside himself that you—"

"And I was beside myself that he didn't respond to a single text or call for two weeks."

"... You knew his schedule was going to be busy. You said you could handle this. You looked me in the eyes when I—"

"I guess I was wrong. Sorry." I stepped back and started to close the door.

"Please just... answer his call. Give him his closure by hearing him out."

"... It would have been nice if I had someone there to tell him to do this for me when I needed to reach him. But I don't owe him anything anymore after that."

"What do you—"

"Bye, Mrs Young. I hope you also have a good life." Then I closed the door in her face.

I knew she'd understand if I told her what had happened. I knew she'd berate Frazer for me. But if I told her the truth, then Frazer would find out. And I couldn't have him know.

She knocked a couple more times, but never said anything more. In the end, she walked away.

◁ㅤ ❚❚ ㅤ▷

The following week, university started. I thought the emptiness of losing Frazer would linger, though to my luck I sat down next to Lottie on my first day, and my life lit up again in a new way.

Not long after, she and I were hanging out all the time, joining the newspaper together, and were basically inseparable.

I did my best to ignore everything that was Frazer thereafter, changing the station when he came on, walking away from conversations about him, and averting my eyes when I saw ads with him in. Though in passing I learned: he extended his tour in the US; he was rumoured to have started dating Maya Stevens, an American actress; supposedly he bought a house in California; and then... he was coming back to tour Australia, with Townsville as his last stop for a holiday from his busy schedule.

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